Navajo Nation Hypocrisy
When does the Navajo Nation government truly stand with its people and communities that are in the direct line of development, extraction and all too often, exploitation? Why does the Navajo Nation support front line communities in some instances and stand with industry at other times? We would like to know.
The Navajo Nation was quick to stand with other tribes to protect Bears Ears from drilling and mining, yet for decades, they have been adamant about continuing coal mining, despite the increase in black lung disease and the depletion of precious Navajo water sources.
The Navajo Nation has also worked with Sierra Club and other Indigenous Tribes of the Southwest in a legal battle to stop the expansion and use of effluent water for artificial snow-making on Dook’oosłiid, a sacred mountain to Navajo. Only later to create its own polluting entity, Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC). NETC is a Navajo tribal enterprise that is currently seeking to mine lithium which will have irreversible impacts to another Indigenous nation’s sacred springs. So much for building good relations and working together to protect sacred sites.
Navajo Nation can and must do better for our Diné people!
Taking this further, we can look at the current developments of uranium. Originally permitted in 1986, the Pinyon Pine Mine faced initial opposition from tribes like Havasupai and others based on concerns of contamination to sacred places, water resources and health effects. Energy Fuels Resources, Inc. (EFRI), the current operators of Pinyon Pine Mine started stockpiling uranium ore at its mine south of the Grand Canyon on January 8 of this year. Transport of uranium through a high traffic road on the Navajo Nation started on July 30, which EFRI did not communicate to the Navajo Nation (or other stakeholders) two weeks prior to hauling like they said they would. So on July 31, the Navajo Nation through the Office of the First Lady, Jasmin Blackwater Nygren, issued a call to action to the public to walk against the “Illegal Transportation of Uranium” in Cameron, Arizona. At the same time, the Navajo Nation President himself also responded by deploying Navajo Police to stop the illegal transport of uranium across the reservation which was justified using the 2012 Radioactive Materials Transportation Act.
As the Navajo Nation called for a rally and march to take place in Cameron, Arizona, we, as Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) and Haul No! felt disgruntled and would like to point out the hypocritical nature of the Navajo Nation. While this is undoubtedly an encouraging and proactive step by the Navajo Nation, we are not celebrating just yet. It is far too soon to be praising and patting our elected leaders on the back when they continue to support fossil fuel development and resource extraction elsewhere.
“I’m glad President Nygren, the First Lady, Speaker Curley and Delegate Casey Allen Johnson marched with their people,” said Jessica Keetso, Community Organizer with TNA. “But when I heard some of their statements like Delegate Johnson saying how he cares about Navajos future, I can’t help but think ‘wow, do our leaders hear how contradictory they sound?’”
Members of TNA share a similar sentiment because only a few weeks prior to the march in Cameron, TNA presented to the Resources and Development Committee (RDC) about the potential harmful impacts a proposed hydrogen pipeline going across the entire Navajo Nation could pose. The RDC includes Delegate Johnson. Despite TNA’s presentation RDC members commented that “we need revenues” arguing that money is needed to replace the losses from the closure of Navajo Generating Station seemingly arguing for revenue over public health.
Haul No! and Tó Nizhóní Ání organizers support efforts to stop the uranium transportation but are reluctant to praise Navajo Nation leadership while so much else is at stake. First, the Navajo Nation needs to establish a realistic energy plan in collaboration with communities and Chapters on the Nation, and STOP commodification of Nihimá Nahásdzáán and STOP actively selling resources to the highest off-rez bidders. The Navajo Nation needs to set priorities to protect limited resources such as water especially from industrial use. The Navajo Nation needs to align itself with the Navajo people instead of industry. Revenues and capital should not be the ultimate goal, but instead the long term protection of cultural and natural resources. We need energy development that is renewable, sustainable and fossil fuel free. Finally, the Navajo Nation must hold all industry accountable, not just when it suits them or for publicity.
We look forward to the day when the Navajo Nation stands with ALL of our people against ALL destructive and exploitive energy companies and projects! Perhaps when our water, land, air, and people are adequately protected by our leaders and our government can we give some accolades. When that day comes, there will be no need for organizations like TNA and groups like Haul No!, because we were formed out of necessity. Groups like ours advocate for our people and our homelands because our government isn’t doing an adequate job.
The Navajo Nation must do better!
